A rare Tintin illustration sells for 753,000 euros at auction

Tintin illustration

A rare Tintin illustration from “Tintin in America” sold for 753,000 euros (costs included) at Artcurial in Paris on Saturday, the auction house announced.

Hergé did the original drawing (21 x 15 cm) in Chinese ink, and colour was added layer by layer. It is one of four non-text colour drawings from the 1937 black and white album. It was estimated at between 600,000 and 700,000 euros.

It shows Tintin with a revolver in his right hand, standing on the footrest of a fast-moving taxi. He is in a Chicago street being chased by baddies.

“The price was very close to the 2015 record” (another non-text drawing sold for 770,600 euros) says Eric Leroy, the Artcurial comic book expert.

A non-text drawing is a large colour drawing with no speech bubbles, which are added to black and white Tintin albums to liven them up, Mr Leroy explained. Hergé’s non-text drawings are very rarely up for sale.

The non-text drawing sold on Saturday was bought by “a European buyer”, Artcurial said in a press release.

A Hergé drawing from 1942 done for Le Soir, which shows the reporter dusting for prints and Capitan Haddock brandishing a sabre, sold for 67,600 euros (costs included). That’s “a record” for that type of illustration, says Mr Leroy.

Artcurial says more than 80% of the lots available at the auction were sold.


The author: Margareta STROOT

Margareta Stroot, a multi-talented individual, calls Brussels her home. With a unique blend of careers, she balances her time as a part-time journalist and a part-time real estate agent. Margareta's deep-rooted knowledge of the city of Brussels, where she resides, has proven invaluable in both of her roles. Her journalism captures the essence of the city, while her real estate expertise helps others find their perfect homes in the vibrant Belgian capital.

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